Means for use in manufacturing moccasins



Aug. 10, 1937. R. E. DUPLESSIS MEANS FOR USE IN MANUFACTURING MOCCASINS Original Filed Feb. 18, 1955 Patented Aug. 10, 1937 PATENTI'OFFICEI MEANS FOR USE MANUFACTURING MOCCASINS Ren E. Duplessis, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application February 18, 1935, Serial No. 6,931. Divided and this application February 20, 1936, Serial No. 64,911

11 Claims.

This invention relates to means for use in the manufacture of moccasins for holding in lasted position theforepart of a moccasin bottom, the moccasin bottom being that portion of the moccasin which provides an integral covering for the bottom of the forepart of the foot and extends upwardly and inwardly over the top of the forepart of the foot. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 6,931, filed February 18, 1935.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means portable with the moccasin and its last for clamping the forepart of the moccasin bottom in lasted position and holding it while it sets to the last or, alternatively, while a toe piece is secured to the margin of the moccasin bottom. It is a further object of the invention to provide means for holding the moccasin bottom in lasted position in order to permit the margin of its forepart to be trimmed for the reception of a toe piece. Accordingly, a feature of the invention consists of a clamp for holding the forepart of a lasted moccasin bottom against a last, said clamp comprising a device constructed and arranged to engage'the bottom, the upstanding portion, and the overlasted margin of the .lasted moccasin. The clamping device, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, is held against the moccasin by a heel-engaging member connected thereto and movable heightwise of the lasted moccasin to engage its heel end thereby toforce the moccasin forwardly thereof into the clamp. Said clamp, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, has associated therewith a forepart trimming gage whereby the overlasted margin of the forepart of the moccasin bottom may be trimmed along a line predetermined with relation to the last. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a clamping device embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a guard plate for protecting the last during the trimming operation, said plate being shown in position on the forepart of a last;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a moccasin bottom held in lasted position on its last by the clamping device illustrated in Fig. 1 and a cutter engaged in trimming the overlasted margin of the moccasin bottom, the central portion of the moccasin and last and the clamping device being broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the forepart of a moccasin and last with the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1 mounted thereon, the forepart of the moccasin having been trimmed and the trimming gage retracted and a toe piece partially stitched to the margin of the forepart, the rear portion of the clamp being broken away. a

In manufacturing moccasins with the aid of the illustrated clamping means, the forepart of a moccasin bottom is lasted in a machine such, for example, as the moccasin lasting machine disclosed in my copending application above referred to, and while the moccasin bottom is held in lasted position by the toe-embracing lasting members of the machine the margin of the moccasin bottom which has been lasted over the top of the forepart of the last is temporarily secured to the last, for example, by means of a toe-binding wire the function of which is merely to hold the moccasin bottom in lasted position during the interval between the removal of the lasted moccasin from the lasting machine and the application of the illustrated clamping device thereto.

The illustrated clamping device is constructed and arranged .to engage the bottom and side faces of the forepart of a moccasin bottom I!) on a last I2 and has a clamping arm pivoted thereto and arranged to press the lasted moccasin forwardly thereof into said clamping device. The clamping device comprises a base plate 14 (Fig. 1) anda plate [6 which has the general shape of the peripheral face of the forepart of the last and is cut away as indicated at It and 20 to promote resiliency and to reduce the weight of said plate. The plate It is secured to the base plate I by clamping screws 22 arranged to extend through slots 26 in inturned ends 26 of legs 28 extending from the plate [6, said inturned ends 26, as illustrated in Fig. 1, extending beneath the margin of the base plate 44. Thus it will be seen that the plate l6 may be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of moccasins. Mounted on the plate It is a gage plate 30 which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, defines a line along which the margin of the moccasin bottom is cut in order to sever the excess margin 32 from the body portion of the moccasin bottom and to provide a suitable edge face for the reception of the edge face of a toe piece 34 (Fig. 4). The gage plate 30 is mounted on brackets 36 (Fig. 1) extending forwardly from the forward end of the plate l6 and similar brackets 38 extending outwardly from opposite sides of said plate, the gage plate 30 being provided with cars 40 constructed and arranged to register with said brackets. The

gage plate 30 is held on said brackets by headed pins 42 extending upwardly from said brackets, rolls 44 being pivoted'on said pins for engagement within suitable slots 46 in the ears 40. The slots 46 adjacent to the toe end of the moccasin extend substantially lengthwise of the moccasin (Fig. 3) while the slots 46 adjacent to the'sides of the moccasin diverge forwardly of the moccasin. The plate 36 has a narrow portion 48 at its toe end and simliar narrow portions .50 between its ears 40 at opposite sides of the plate,,,

said narrow portions being sufiiciently resilient to permit movement of the plate-3B from its operative position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, to its retracted position, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In order to retain the gage plate 30. in its retracted position, the diverging slots 46 at their rearwardends are provided with outward extensions 52 (Fig. 3) within which the rolls 44 are seated when the gage plate 30 is in its retracted position, engagement of said rolls in said extensions being effected by the spring of the plate 30 which tends to return it to its operative position. After retracting the gage plate 3!] the toe piece 34 may be stitched to the upstanding margin of the forepart of the moccasin bottom l6, part of the stitching being illustrated at 58 in Fig. 4. It will'be noted that the'edge face 54 of the plate l6, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is parallel to the edge face 56 of the trimmed vamp and spaced therefromsufliciently to afford the necessary clearance for the stitch-forming instrumentalities but nevertheless close enough to the edge face 56 to serve as a gage for the formation of the outside line of the hand-sewn seam 58.

In order to press that margin of the plate I6 adjacent to its edge face 54 downwardly against the overlasted moccasin bottom I a'resilient plate 60 (Fig. 1) is secured to the base plate I 4 for engagement with the moccasin bottom ID, a central opening being provided in the base plate for the reception of the plate 60. As herein illustrated, the end portions of the resilient plate are passed under and around the end portions of the base plate l4 and secured to the upperv surface of said base plate, for example by rivets 62. The central portion 64 of the resilient plate is normally positioned above the plane of thebase plate l4 and provides a flat, resilient support which is depressed somewhat in forcing the toe clamp over the moccasin bottom In. The pressure of the resilient plate 60 against the moccasin bottom I0 is sufiicient to hold the margin of the plate l6 firmly against the overlasted margin of the moccasin bottom and said plate also maintains a firm contact of the gage plate 30 with the overlasted margin of the moccasin bottom during the trimming operation above described. The plate is drawn rearwardly of the moccasin and pressed firmly thereagainstby the operation of a swinging U-shaped member 66 pivoted to upstanding lugs 68 formed in the base plate l4 at opposite sides thereof, the crossbar!!! at the rearward end of the member. 66 having secured to its forward face aresilient plate 12 which is curved forwardly and upwardly of the moccasin for engagement with its heel'end. The operative position of the plate 12 relatively-to the moccasin is determined by a U-shaped crossbar 14, the uprights of which are securedat their upper extremities-to opposite sides of the. U- shaped member 66 thereby positioning the horizontal portion of the crossbar "for engagement with the bottom faceof the heelendoflthe mocmember, I means connecting said the aid of the illustrated clamping device may serve to promote a better understanding of the invention. The moccasin bottom I 0 having been lasted and secured in lasted position, for example by means of a toe-binding wire as above described, thelasted moccasin bottom is positioned in the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1 and the excess margin 32 of the moccasin bottom is trimmed off. If desired, a guard plate, for example the plate 16 illustrated in Fig. 2, may be positioned on the last l2 to prevent the trimming cutter 18 from injuring the last. After trimming the moccasin bottom the gage plate 30 is retracted and the guard plate 16 is removed from the last. Cement is then applied to the edge face of the overlasted margin of the moccasin bottom and to the corresponding edge-face of the toe piece 34 and said edge faces are brought together, the position of the toe piece 34 on the last being determined by the registration of suitablev notches in the moccasin bottom and the toe piece, respectively. After the cement hasset, the moccasin'bottom and toe piece are permanently united, for example by a hand-sewn seam 58, whereupon the clamp is removed from the work.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clamp for holding a lasted moccasin bottom against a lastcomprising a device constructed and arranged to engage the bottom, the upstanding portion, and the overlasted margin of the lasted moccasin.

2. A clamp for holding the forepart of a. lasted moccasion bottom against a last comprising a device constructed and arranged to engage the bottom and the upstanding portion of the forepart of the lasted moccasin, and resilient means for urging said member heightwise of the lasted moccasin thereby to press the marginal portion of said device against the overlasted margin of the moccasin bottom.

3. A clamp for holding the forepart of a lasted moccasin bottom against a last comprising a resilient member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, a member constructed and arranged to engage the heel end of the last and force the last forwardly thereof against said forepart-engaging member, and means connecting said members.

4. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against a last comprising ;a member havmg the general shape ofthe forepart of ing member, and means connecting said members constructed. and arranged to permit movement of the heel-engaging member heightwise of the-last.

5. A clamp for holding the forepart m moccasin bottom against a last comprising a member having the general shape of the forepart of the .last,'a member constructed and arranged to enand force the last gage the heel end of the last forwardly thereof against said forepart-engaging members constructed and arranged to permit movement of the heel-engaging member heightw'ise of the last, and a gage associated with said connecting means for determining the operative position of said heel-engaging member heightwise of the last.

6. A clamp for holding the upstanding margin of the forepart of a moccasin bottom against a last comprising a member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, a U-shaped member the ends of which are pivoted to the forepart-engaging member at opposite sides thereof, and a presser member secured to the crossbar of said U-shaped member, the arrangement of said U-shaped member and said presser member being such that movement of the U- shaped member to bring its crossbar into alinement with the last brings said presser member into engagement with the heel end of the last and causes said presser member to press the last forwardly thereof against said forepart-engaging member.

'7. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against a last comprising a base member, a last-embracing member secured to said base member, said last-embracing member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, and pressing means mounted in said base member and arranged to apply pressure to the last bottom thereby to clamp said forepart-engaging member against the overlasted portion of the forepart of the moccasin bottom.

8. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against a last comprising a member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, a base member to which the forepart-engaging member is secured, a forepart-trimming gage mounted on said forepart-engaging member, and pressing means mounted in said base member and constructed and arranged to apply pressure to the last bottom thereby to press said gage against the overlasted portion of the forepart of the moccasin bottom.

9. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against the last comprising a member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, a forepart-trimming gage mounted on said forepart-engaging member and constructed and arranged to be removed from its gaging position without disengaging said forepart-engaging member.

10. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against the last, a forepart-trimming gage, and pin and slot connections between the clamp and the gage whereby said gage is movable from gaging position without relaxing said clamp.

11. A clamp for holding the forepart of a moccasin bottom against the last comprising a member having the general shape of the forepart of the last, a forepart-trimming gage mounted on said forepart-engaging member and constructed and arranged to be removed from its gaging position without disengaging said forepart-engaging member, the trimming edge of said trimming gage in its operative position being substantially parallel to the upper edge of said forepart-engaging member.

RENE E. DUPLESSIS. 

